Propelling device for steam vessels.



PATENTED JAN. 15, 1907.

- J. GREAVBS. PROPELLING DEVICE FOR STEAM VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED 0GT.22.-190Q.

2 sums-sum 1.

Allomey No. 841,243. PATENTEiD JAN. 15, 1907.

V J. GREAVES.

PROPELLING DEVICE FOR STEAM VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED 0071.22, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHBET 2.

Altomey JOSEPH GREAVES, OF RADERSBURG, MONTANA.

PROPELLING DEVICE FOR S TEAMVESE-l-S.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 15, 1 907.

Application filed October 22, 1906- Serial No. 340,005.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPH GREAvEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Radersburg, in the county of Broadwater and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Propelling Devices for Steam Vessels; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of .the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to marine propulsion, and particularly to a screw-propeller disposed beneath the keel of a vessel.

The invention has for an object to dispose a propelling-cylinder in a tunnel or channel beneath the keel of a vessel and to provide improved means for retaining the blades of the screw in position upon said cylinder, together with driving connections for the opposite ends of the shaft carrying the cylinder.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a central vertical section through a vessel havin the invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a1orizontal section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged end view of the propelling-cylinder, and Fig. 5 is a detail plan thereof.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

The numeral 1 designates a vessel or hull of any desired character, which is provided at its central bottom portion or beneath the keel thereof with a channel or tunnel 2, open at the bottom and provided at suitable points with cross bars or braces 3, forming bearings for a driving-shaft 4. This shaft is provided at its opposite ends with crank-arms 5 and at its mid-length with a screw-cylinder 6, supported therefrom by means of the arms 7, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This cylinder is formed upon its outer surface or periphery with spirally-disposed blades 8 and 9, each of said spirals being disposed counter-clockwise, thus securing a most efficient driving action. These blades may be applied to the cylinder in any desired manner, but preferably by means of a channel plate 10, as shown in Fig. 4. This plate 10 is riveted to the cylinder and provided with the parallel walls 1 1, between which the edge of the blade is disposed and secured by bolts or similar devices. These plates 10 are disposed on the entire length of the cylinder in the positions to be occupied by the blades, which are then applied thereto and securely fastened in position.

For the purpose of driving this propeller a shaft 12 is mounted within the vessel at its lower portion in suitable bearings 13 and provided with cranks 14, from which a pitman-rod 15 extends to the cranks 5 on the shaft of the propelling-cylinder. The cranks 14 and pitmen just described are disposed within a well 16, which extends upward from the keel or sluice or the tunnel above the water-level of the vessel. This shaft 12 is adapted to be driven from any desired character of engine, preferably by means of the cylinders 17, disposed at opposite sides of the tunnel, as shown in Fig. 3, each of which has its piston-rod 18 connected by a link 19 with a crank 20 upon the opposite ends of the shaft 12, and thereby apply the driving force to both ends of the propelling-cylinder, thus e ualizing the power and strain thereon.

In t e operation of this invention it will be seen that the power of the engine is eX- pended in the most economical and effective manner by its application to the opposite ends of the pro elling-cylinder, which being open permit t e free passage of the water therethrough, while the. peripheral screw thereon, owing to the counter-clock.

wise disposition of the spirals, secures the most efficient driving action. The density of the water in the tunnel or channel also renders the action of the screw more effective, and its disposition in said tunnel prevents the lateral flow of water from the screw and the consequent slip therefrom. It also renders the rudder more safe and effective, as the water at the stern of the vessel does not influence the rudder.

What I claim isand a blade secured in the Vertical channel of A Vessel provided with a tunnelor chansaid plate, as set forth nel at its keel, supporting-arms disposed In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my across said channel, a drivin -shaft rotatasignature in the presence of two Witnesses.

5 bly mounted in said arms, a cylinder open at JOSEPH GREAVES. its opposite ends and mounted upon said Witnesses: Y driving-shaft, a channel-plate secured to the JOHN M. RALLS,

periphery of said cylinder in a spiral path, SAML. Y! PEROE; 

